Ms. Farrish holds a B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from the University of Rhode Island. After graduation, she worked as a zookeeper at Buttonwood Park Zoo and Franklin Park Zoo where she got to share her passion for animals by educating the public. In 2011, Ms. Farrish returned to the University of Rhode Island where she earned a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Biology and General Science.
The purpose of this unit is to show how interactions between organisms and their environment affect ecosystems, and to emphasize the impacts humans can have on these environmental conditions.The major theme in ecology is interconnectedness. Organisms depend on the living and non-living components of the environment for survival.The standards for this grade level highlight this interconnectedness by emphasizing how these interactions create a state of equilibrium in an ecosystem. Many conditions exist which can cause an ecosystem to become unbalanced. In this unit plan, I have created lessons and activities to demonstrate the many ways in which interactions affect the balance of an ecosystem. We will begin with a general introduction to ecology to activate previous knowledge and highlight important terms. Next we will begin our discussion about feeding interactions by conducting an owl pellet dissection and discussing food webs. Then we will do some critical thinking about how energy istransferred between trophic levels. Water and nutrient cycles will also be covered in this unit, followed by natural disasters and the ways that ecosystems recover to a state of equilibrium following a disturbance. Finally, we will spend several lessons exploring activities that model how humans impact ecosystems and the organisms within them.
Melissa Farrish
Ms. Farrish holds a B.S. in Wildlife and Conservation Biology from the University of Rhode Island. After graduation, she worked as a zookeeper at Buttonwood Park Zoo and Franklin Park Zoo where she got to share her passion for animals by educating the public. In 2011, Ms. Farrish returned to the University of Rhode Island where she earned a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in Biology and General Science.
Teaching Portfolio
Teaching Philosophy - Teaching Philosophy - MelissaF.Unit Plan - The Tangled Web We Weave
Unit Overview:
The purpose of this unit is to show how interactions between organisms and their environment affect ecosystems, and to emphasize the impacts humans can have on these environmental conditions. The major theme in ecology is interconnectedness. Organisms depend on the living and non-living components of the environment for survival.The standards for this grade level highlight this interconnectedness by emphasizing how these interactions create a state of equilibrium in an ecosystem. Many conditions exist which can cause an ecosystem to become unbalanced. In this unit plan, I have created lessons and activities to demonstrate the many ways in which interactions affect the balance of an ecosystem. We will begin with a general introduction to ecology to activate previous knowledge and highlight important terms. Next we will begin our discussion about feeding interactions by conducting an owl pellet dissection and discussing food webs. Then we will do some critical thinking about how energy istransferred between trophic levels. Water and nutrient cycles will also be covered in this unit, followed by natural disasters and the ways that ecosystems recover to a state of equilibrium following a disturbance. Finally, we will spend several lessons exploring activities that model how humans impact ecosystems and the organisms within them.Student Teaching Information
A. First Student Teaching Placement
School: Barrington Middle SchoolAddress: 261 Middle Highway, Barrington, RI, 20806
Principal: Dr. Andrew Anderson Ed.D
Sci Dept Head/MS Team Leader: Peter McFarland
Office secretary(s): Caron Martin
Custodian(s): Fred DaCosta
Who do you call when sick or dying? Peter McFarland or Main Office
What are the phone numbers? (401) 247-3160
Cooperating Teacher: Peter McFarland
B. Second Student Teaching Placement
School: Middletown High SchoolAddress: 130 Valley Rd, Middletown, RI 02842
Principal: Gail Abromitis
Sci Dept Head/MS Team Leader: Kevin Zaham
Office secretary(s): Maria Dowler, Pamela Souza, Cheryl Welch, Karen Sheely and Karen Potter
Custodian(s): Bubba (My CT does not know any other names)
Who do you call when sick or dying? I log into the system to request a substitute or I call Barbara Christmsn
What are the phone numbers? (401) 846-7250
Cooperating Teacher: Barbara Christman
Observations and Reflections